Wednesday 26 May 2010

Mad with myself.

My deadline is two days away and i'm not going to make it.

I know it was a self imposed deadline and no one is depending on me, but I am just so narked with myself. I'm going to drop the Ed a line this morning and explain, but I desperately wanted to turn it in on time - kind of show them that I could do it, you know?

Why has this happened? Well, life just got in the way. A couple of completely unexpected things took up alot of my time and head space last week, resulting in my writing time disintegrating before my very eyes.

I have one chapter left to write and then the edits to do, which hopefully shouldn't be too arduous as I tend to edit alot as I go along anyway, so I'm planning to ask if next Friday would be OK rather than this one.
I've been beating myself up about this since the weekend, and have been debating between writing like the clappers and rushing it in on time, or taking the extra week to polish it until it's the best I can make it.
Ultimately though, I know in my heart that I wouldn't feel happy pressing send unless it was my best attempt - that has to be the most important think doesn't it?

I just hope that it doesn't make me look flaky. :o(

On the positive side, I am pretty pleased with the way it's shaped up, despite the fact that I think it may be a little heavy on the, erm, sauce.
Am feeling a bit wrung out right now as have just written the most emotional scenes, I actually ended up crying with them at about midnight last night. That's normal too though.. right? I tell ya something - I'm really looking forward to finally giving these two their HEA, because they sure have worked hard for it.

Lastly, a question. This is my first full manuscript, and my head seems to have been stuck in Jack & Nancy's world permanently for months... and *nervous cough*... I sort of really like it there.
Is it easy to detach yourself at the end? I imagine i'll find myself wondering what happened to them after I leave them to it.

I don't suppose I get visitation rights do I? lol!

14 comments:

  1. Ithink you've made the right decision Joanne - always better to turn in your best work rather than rushed work. And as for the detaching. By the time I finished my last mss (currently under submission) I was soooooooooooooo over these characters. And i'[m so excited to have to lovely shiny new people to play with. Sounds like you've done a fabulous job though :)

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  2. Ah life. Its a bugger huh? As Rach said - better to turn in your best.
    My mss is due to go off next Tuesday. It's been finished for a week - but I've been fiddling with it and trying to chop about 10K off (yeah I waffle some).

    Good luck with getting it done!

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  3. Hey Rach, thank you.
    lol at being soooooooooo over them - I think I am too in love with my hero than is good for me. lol!
    Fabulous job - you know what, I have have absolutely NO idea if what i've written is anywhere near what it should be. I have no barometer of previous submissions to judge it against, and I am totally nervous that I've veered way off the path. Only one way to find out though I guess... x

    Hi Janette!
    Life sure is a bugger. I'm still dithering about and haven't emailed the ed yet because I'm wondering whether to stay up till stupid o clock for the next couple of nights and try to finish the darned thing.
    Lots of Luck with the revisions, at least it's finished on time. Cutting words out is painful isn't it?
    Sending you a big glass of bubbly to put on ice for after you've pressed send on Tuesday. x

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  4. Joanne, just chill. I'm sure it will be absolutely fine and at the end of the day you have to still look after the family and pay the mortgage. Take your time and do the best job you can. Then press send!

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  5. Joanne, I wouldn't worry too much. A week won't matter. The advice I had was that the editor doesn't want a quick submission, they want one they can buy. Far better to send something you're happy with (or at least moderately happy with because, let's face, it we're never THAT happy!) than one you're not. Oh and if you're not teary eyed writing the BM/HEA then you haven't done it right. ;-)

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  6. Hi Susan, I really hope so. Thank you. x

    Hey Jackie, thank you. I read your comment at about half past one last night and it spurred me on to go to bed, rather than keep propping my lids open and writing words that i'd only have deleted this morning anyway. :o)
    You're absolutely right. Sending in something I feel happy with is the only way. Cheers chick!

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  7. Well, I bit the bullet and extended to next Friday. One more week of late nights and chewed nails for me then...

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  8. Joanne, come here...*whispers* pubbed writers miss deadlines...a lot. And they sign contracts with the little buggers included. Signed. Legally. Eep. Don't worry, turn in your best work.

    As for detaching, usually, I'm with Maya, but I had a VERY hard time coming down from The Sheikh. It was an emotional book with some dark backstory and, like you, I was crying as I was writing. It really just took me a week maybe to detox from it. :-)

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  9. Great advice has already been given Joanne, I'm with Jackie - turn in your best submission and try not to beat yourself up too much :-)

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  10. P.S. Feedjit has moved me to Devon today, how odd! But I have always liked Devon...

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  11. Thanks Maisey - really?! That makes me feel loads better. xx

    Hey Lorraine - happy magical mystery tour! I wonder where you'll be today... xx

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  12. Hey Joanne,

    I'm seriously late to the party because I've just sent a sub myself... yesterday! You've absolutely made the right decision extending the time frame. Hope the polishing is going well,

    Robyn

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  13. Hey Robyn,

    Good to hear from you!
    Thanks, yeah it's almost done now - by midday today I will hopefully be done.
    Lots of luck with your sub - is this the blaze?

    Jo
    x

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  14. Hi Jo,

    yep the Blaze :-) So much fun to write!

    I'm glad that you're back on schedule and I have my fingers firmly crossed for you,

    Robyn

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